The National tribune., 1887-01-13
GEN. FAIRCBILD.
ROusing Reception at Milwaukee b
the COmmander-in-C Chief.

On the evening of Jan. a public reception
was rendered TO Gen. Lucius Fairchild bv E
b. WOcott Post. No. /, and Woman's Rsltef
Corps, No. l6, of Milwaukee. The large at
tendance and the excellent feeling that nro-
vailed attested the esteem in which the Com.
mdnder-in- Chief is held.
When all had shaken hands with Gen Fair.
child, the proper seats We're taken possession Of
by the officers of L. b. WOcOtt Post The cere-
mony OF installing the newly-eected officers
who will serve during the ensuing year, waa
conducted by Gen. Fairchild and was impress
sive. The officers installed were as follows:
Commander, Charles III. Anson; s. v. G., JB
Johnson; j. V. G., Geo. III. Chase; O. M A g.
Il. Way; o. d., L. r. Stillman Adi't, Robers
Monteith; Chap, Rev. Judson Ellsworth; o.
g., J. III. Fish $. NJ, s. III. Talmadge; Q. II.
s., J. III. Fertig.
The Woman's Relief Corps then took the seats
vacated by the Grand Army men, and the fol-
lowing officers were initiated, the ceremonies
being directed by Mrs. II. G.. Rogers: Pres, Mrs.
Caroline II. Bell; s. V.-P., Mrs. Rose H John
son; ]. V.-P., Mrs. Anne Fertig; Sec, Miss
Adah Q. Way; Treas, Mrs. A. B. F.Way; Chap,
Mrs. Agnes Bacon; Con-, Mrs. Mary z. Sher-
man: g., Mrs. Mary A. Denny A. c., Mra.
Helen Lahln; A. c., Mrs. Mary Monteith.
Gen. tairchild was called for and spoke a.
follows:
GEN. FAIRCHILD's SPEECH.
AT the request of the Commander, and against my
L before i ina u
thought this audience did not need to be talked to-
/ but now that am before You, will say a word OK
the two Orders whose officers for the ensuing year
/ have been installed this evening. You have Iis-
tened to a portion of their ritual and have seem
how much better the ladies perform its work than
| the men DO. In such eases we are always compelled
to admit il, because il is a fact Some people have
thought that we old boys get together in our Grand
Army meetings for nothing but fun and folly and
the time was not so long ago that a great many OF
our citizens sneered at the Grand Army But that
| was before they knew what il is Every day
there are influential people devotng their time and
LABOR 70 the work of the Grand Army of the Re
public and the Woman's Relief Corps and 10 is nos
possible that they would do for society without
/ any point. In the United States there are TODAY
many Of the best men giving their time and labor
to the work. All of the best officers Of the army
are to-day the oldest and best Grand Army men,
The first principle of the Order is fraternity
/ can't explain what that means. To understand the
/ full meaning of the word you must be one Of the
| boys, and be able to appreciate their feelings.
There is nothing like the thrill of shaking the hand
| OF an old comrade. Ifh wore the blue and was In
that line Of battle 1000 miles long. he is much
| friend as IL he was in the company with YOU and
1 the thrill at Misunderstanding is Just as intense.
Charity, as understood in our Order means that
| no old soldier in need shall come to its members
without recognition. Ours is n charity that 10 near
the pocket and il shows itself in the efforts Of the
order to rescue old soldiers from poOrhOuses where
misfortune may have brought them, and place
them In proper Soldiers Homes, as has been
done in Illinois and other States. To-day there
are In Wisconsin pauper-hOuses a number Of old
| soldiers, and it is q shame and q disgrace TO the
| cause In which they fought. God helping as, we
VIII prevent 10, and we will go step further:
| when these old soldiers placed in proper homes
we will also take of the e" old women" their
wives, and will see that they provided for. Dur
ing the past year the Grand Army of the Republic
has expended a half million dollars in charity, but
that doesn't represent a tithe of the work done.
| We old soldiers tell stories in our Campfres and
| laugh at the same old jokes, even when we have
| heard them a hundred times or more. This seems
| ridiculous to other people, but you'd laugh a.
| heartily yourself if you had gone through what the
soldiers have experienced and had been with them
| in the days of 81. Within three years past have
| seen go old Union soldiers feted at banquet.
After dinner and toasts soldier, then a Senator OF
| the United States, rose in his seat and commenced
| to sing As he sang he picked up a wreath thas
| decorated the table and placed il his head.
Within i've minutes every soldier was similarly dec
GRATED, and headed by President of the United
States they commenced marching around the BAN
quet hall, singing army sOngswith great joyfulness-
They were joyful because they were old friends
and because the war not fought In vain and
the Union was still preserved.
We should thank God that the Nation had the
men and women in 81 to fight for that end, and
that he gave them the chance to preserve the Union
To those who have grown up since that time will
say that we want to beg an entry into your hearts
for the Grand Army and the Woman 5 Relief Corps.
We want the respect and confidence of everybody
not members. and their assistance in carrying Qua
the purposes for which they were organized.